New York’s Own Demolition Derby

There’s a whole sub-economy based on the razing of buildings

It’s become commonplace to note that the city has turned into one giant construction zone. In the most extreme areas, like Hell’s Kitchen and Downtown Brooklyn, every third person you pass is a crane.

But in a city as crowded as New York, for nearly every building that goes up, something must come down. And that means the town is experiencing a fantastic wrecking boom. Some 1,897 demolition permits were issued in 2015, up 77% from five years earlier. That is great not just for the wrecking business, but for the vast network...